What To Expect When Being Treated For A Serious Burn
Burning your skin is incredibly painful and can be quite traumatic. Minor burns can often be treated at home, but more serious burns, especially if they cover a large area of your body need to be treated by medical professionals. If you are badly burned, it is important to seek medical care as soon as possible. The sooner you receive treatment for your burns, the better the outcome is and the lower the risk for complications will be. In the event that your skin is badly burned, it is in your best interest to head to the nearest hospital with an emergency room. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect from burn treatment:
Initial Assessment
When you arrive at the emergency department, your burn will be carefully examined and assesses by physicians and nurses. If your burn is not deemed very severe, the area will be treated and dressed and you will be discharged and given specific directions to receive outpatient treatment by a physician until your burn is completely healed. When burns are deemed very serious or severe, you may be admitted to the burn center in the hospital for more specialized care and monitoring. In the burn center, you will most likely be given an I.V. to keep you hydrated, as well as pain medication to control the pain and discomfort associated with burns. A physician in the burn unit will then determine the best course of treatment.
Surgery
If your burns are serious enough for you to be admitted to a burn center, there is a good chance that you will need one or more surgeries to help your skin heal. In many cases, surgery for burns first involves removing any dead skin and then applying either synthetic skin material or cadaver skin to the burned area to promote healing. For severe burns, you may require additional surgeries as well as a permanent skin graft. All surgeries to treat burns are done under general anesthesia so you will not be aware of what is going on.
Recovery From Surgery
After each surgery, the burned area will be covered with a thick dressing that is designed to protect the skin and collect any drainage. If you have been severely burned, your doctors and nurses may keep you in the hospital during your recovery so you can be closely monitored. Some people with less severe burns may be able to recover from surgery at home with the help of a home health care nurse that can visit daily to change the dressings and keep the burned area properly cleaned.